redbrunja | (no subject)

It's like television decided that since I'm not going to get a new episode of TVD this week, every other show is going to be fantastically awesome this week.

First, there was Castle, which was its usual fun frothiness with bonus steampunk. (Although no Firefly reference, what?) I totally approve of Beckett's and Alexis' romantic interests (and isn't it adorable how Alexis' whole face blushed when she was talking about Ashley?). Here's hoping they stick around for longer than an episode. Also, the scene were Beckett and Castle were shooting the old fashioned pistols CRACKED ME UP..

Then, this week's HIMYM was so full of deliciously perfect Barney/Robin! Barney's face when he realized he'd hurt Robin! Robin coming to him when she felt despairing in the first place! Now I totally want to see fic where Robin moves and Barney follows her! Besides that, the episode as a whole was just ridiculously strong.

And then we have the episode whose quality really surprised me, Glee's "Duets."

We had:

~The Finn/Kurt "fag" incidence being explored in depth and with grace and no judgement. I couldn't believe it either. (Burt is still awesomesauce. And I'm glad to hear that he and Finn's mom are apparently quite good at communicating.)

~Rachel and Finn actually working as a couple and actually acting like leaders.

~Amazing songs. (It's a crime that Santana and Mercedes didn't win the competition.)

~Santana and Brittney! (Yes, I know they're doing that and not a Kurt-romance because hot cheerleaders making out is sexy to the male, heterosexual gaze. But fuck that, I still think they're awesome together.)

~Breadsticks! I find it hysterical how excited these kids got about it. Oh, Lima.

~Kurt and Rachel singing together! I cannot even say how much I want them to be friends. So much. Rachel totally needs a gay bff and Kurt's so awesome he could handle the divaness of both Rachel and Mercedes (plus, as Rachel pointed out, he and Rachel are A LOT alike, and drama queens who need to be in New York should stick together.)

Things that were not awesome:

~Fucking douchebag Artie. Oh, noes! The girl who you didn't even date before screwing didn't make your first time special and meaningful after she was explicitly clear about how little sex means to her (e.g. "since you're on the football team now....")

~Sam not being gay. Or bi. Or making out with Kurt. That scene when he was in the shower and Kurt was checking out the downstairs was hilarious and hot.

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I adore Kurt and his dad. They're awesome together, loving, supportive, but Burt isn't going to let the kid slide when he messes up.

I felt rather sorry for Brittany, here. I mean . . . she enjoys safe, consenting sex with whoever's interested. It works for her, and there are more fucked up approaches to the high school social scene. She's not used to emotional baggage entering the picture, as a fun one-night-stand girl. If Artie had brought up the issues beforehand, she might've . . . done something different. But he didn't say a word until after. And she was left nudging a meatball with her nose on her own.

Everybody I know thought the meatball nudging was tragic.

And Artie is such a dick. He was dishonest and she wasn't and then he acts like she did something terribly wrong. Dickhead.

I mean, dude. If a girl's only response to the fact that her latest boy toy is in a wheelchair is to carry him to bed and take the initiative without even stopping to ask if he knows if his equipment is functional, that's pretty damn respectful. From the stories I've heard, there's a lot of guys in wheelchairs who'd consider it a blessing to have a girl approach them for casual sex without a moment's hesitation.

That is a FANTASTIC point. FANTASTIC.

But even leaving aside the whole wheelchair thing... YOU DON'T GET TO CHANGE THE RULES LIKE THAT. You don't fucking screw someone and then say 'you should have made this special' after the fact. (It's like, dude, eighty percent of how special or the way losing your viriginity is on YOU.)

It . . . gah. Artie has spent a year in Glee with Brittany. Anyone who has paid the slightest attention to the girl knows that her standards are pretty much a)attracted to her and b)has caught her interest that week. He has no reason to think he is a unique snowflake in her bed. You want it to be different, say this beforehand or not at all.

And, wait. Wouldn't it be a total compliment to his singing abilities to realize that he was being used?

And, wait. Wouldn't it be a total compliment to his singing abilities to realize that he was being used?

But if Artie thought about it THAT way, he couldn't get all pissy and judgmental about it.

Okay, so. A girl who has never presented herself as anything but sexually casual approaches him to work on the duet together, making it clear that she thinks they could win this thing if they paired up. I don't think it counts as using him for his voice, thinking about it, because she would've slept with him even if they didn't team up (football team, remember) and he agreed to sing with her even before sex was a consideration. She treats him like she would any other guy she intended to bed, which would make him the envy of his future wheelchair basketball team, and then plans a reasonably romantic Lady and the Tramp dinner to celebrate their victory.

Unless you're a believer in soulmates or intend to save yourself for marriage (neither of which seems to apply to Artie), that's a pretty damn special first time.

Now I'm imagining Artie telling this story to his wheelchair basketball team, and him being all 'woe, woe' and all the other players being like, 'you lucky, ungrateful son-of-a-bitch. ...by any chance, would you still have this girl's number?'

And then Brittany gets phone calls from guys who tell her they've practiced rolling a meatball with their nose and know a guy who can play the accordion . . . leaving her, however belatedly, realizing her efforts were appreciated by SOMEONE.

And then cute, awesome, crippled boy gets a three some with Brit and Santana.